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View Poll Results: Religion (not spirituality) has Done More Harm than Good

Re: Religion (not spirituality) has Done More Harm than Good?

Originally Posted by Catz Part Deux

My experiences are the same. Religion was the club used to beat me emotionally for most of my life. I have never been happier in my life than when I got out from under the oppressive beliefs I was raised with.

Yeah - what is *with* that?
My family *is* that way - every time we get together it's an adventure into "I wish you'd take the kids to church more" and "I wish *you'd* go to church more" - and every gift is religious . . . religion is *everywhere*

The kids and I dropped in unexpectedly at my Dad's office (at church) and he dove onto it as an opportunity to teach the kids about God - bible lessons and everything

It's as if I, being anti-religious - have been usurped as *parent* to my children whenever my family comes around or a holiday is afoot.

Yet, at the same time, my kids - even my older two with their disorders - are great students, artistic, talented, love to read, they're inventive and creative. They're obedient, understanding and respectful and very well behaved and don't cross any lines very often.

I think our successful marriage, family and lifestyle is evident that you don't *need* a god or religion to be decent and squared away. . . you simply need to go "I want to be a decent person" and *there you go*

A screaming comes across the sky.
It has happened before, but there is nothing to compare it to now.

Re: Religion (not spirituality) has Done More Harm than Good?

Originally Posted by Groucho

No, my assertion is that EVERYTHING came simultaneous with religion. Religion has been a part of our society ever since cavemen looked up and saw lightning and made up a god to explain it. Science and medicine also came with religion. Everything did, that's the point. You can't separate early society from religion.

Agreed.

Originally Posted by Groucho

However, some things can be separated from religion. Morality may have evolved at the same time as religion, but a lot of morality is completely independent of it. "Do not kill" exists in every society.

So does religion.

Originally Posted by Groucho

If morality is ONLY religion based, then how do you explain atheists with morals? I mean, seriously you cannot argue with a straight face that atheists are all immoral.

I don't necessarily think morality is religious as a matter of logic, but rather as a matter of historical fact. The morality that atheists acknowledge is religion's gift to them whether they know it or not.

In other words, there may be no God, and human beings may create their own morality. But if so, religion is the method we use to create it.

Re: Religion (not spirituality) has Done More Harm than Good?

Originally Posted by Winston Smith

I don't necessarily think morality is religious as a matter of logic, but rather as a matter of historical fact. The morality that atheists acknowledge is religion's gift to them whether they know it or not.

In other words, there may be no God, and human beings may create their own morality. But if so, religion is the method we use to create it.

Buddhist have no "God" - but are extremely moral and respectful people in general, extremely understanding and tolerant and accept life for what it is - not for what it might be if we were all perfect creatures.

A screaming comes across the sky.
It has happened before, but there is nothing to compare it to now.

Re: Religion (not spirituality) has Done More Harm than Good?

Originally Posted by Aunt Spiker

Buddhist have no "God" - but are extremely moral and respectful people in general, extremely understanding and tolerant and accept life for what it is - not for what it might be if we were all perfect creatures.

Buddha proposed the Noble Eightfold Path along with the Law of Karma and the Law of Dependent Origination. Because Buddha was not handed these by God(like Moses), one could say that morals or ethics are spiritual rather than religious.

"An error does not become truth by reason of multiplied propagation, nor does truth become error because nobody sees it." - Gandhi

Re: Religion (not spirituality) has Done More Harm than Good?

Originally Posted by EgoffTib

Buddha proposed the Noble Eightfold Path along with the Law of Karma and the Law of Dependent Origination. Because Buddha was not handed these by God(like Moses), one could say that morals or ethics are spiritual rather than religious.

Perhaps. . . but then that doesn't explain the very immoral people who surround theirselves with religion.

I guess there are always going to be holes in the cheese no matter how you slice it.

A screaming comes across the sky.
It has happened before, but there is nothing to compare it to now.